New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-17
ALL ABOUT "THEn BABY.
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS DOROTHY PAYNE
WHITNEY.
ITS TRIALS AND TRIBULATIoNs AND ITS POLITICAL
SIGNIFICANCE.


safely cbristened. The Whitney Baby may be said to
have passed. at least temporarily, from public view
and withdrawn into the secusoD of the nursery For
time to come 1t again be made National
ISSUE With the bost intentions In the world
the babys parents cannot Immediately re-
store 1T to ovcrhadowng prominence. For
q while. therefore, the pOpulaoe will have leisure
to look into certain secondary Matters such as reform
In the Civil Service the noble attitude of the Govern
ment In the matter OF the fisheries dispute, and that
magnificent navy which mover Is but always to DO
built While the Court infant retires to its Sanctuary
there to confront the pangs OF colo the country may
seize the to from its amazement and
peradve the consideration OF Questions
OF inferior Importance.
1t may be said, however of The Whitney Baby, that
1t has made brilliant of its opportunities From
the moment hen first became obvious and through
out that interesting period during which babies are
usually treated with reserve 1t has been kept before
the public with earnest and painstakng industry
worthy of the highest praise. And from its actual
advent down to the present moment it has at no time
suffered itself to be forgotten relnquished by so
much the tension of OF its own hairs its grip
upon the Nations attention and solcitude. 1t has
been phenomenally managed, from what may be
termed way back" and it goes into semretirement
to-day under circumstances Ok notoriety which, dis
trbuted among o dozen Greatest Shows on Earth
would make the everlasting fortune OF the whole lot
STILL It must be q graspng AMI ayarioious baby that
not able to soace the tedum OF Its seclusIon with
the memory of such glory invested this baby's
christening Never the sristocracy of Washington
In such ferment Cabinet officers tonight like cat and
dog for precedence al the ceremony. Grave public
officials held their hands upon their hearts during the
iense OF waiting for an invitation Society leaders
intrigued The jcanesse dOree became assiduous until
they reduced abectness to fine art. Diplomatic l1mi-
paries ca ,kled usomely in twenty languages Noble
young in the departments got an extension their
dress suits Alprevous engagements were called oh and
particularly gorgeous leader OF the elite was heard
to declare that she had intended sailing tor Europe on
| the 9th in order to have her daughters portrait
painted By OF the old masters, but-with an up
ward rlance and in tones of melting sweetness-she
would give up anything for this Everybody was there,
except Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland, and their absence has
been referred to a motive anything but creditable 1t
was the most brilliant assemblage ever seen IN Wash
ington Not even the galaxy at the paper hunts, or
the receptions at the Metropolitan Club-not even the
truly anoiuted gathering at the Chinese ball. or ore
OF the ervent rushes for terrapin and champagne at
the Whtney's manson-coud compare with It Tor
real high breeding and intrinsic worth
Everybody has read how. alter seven or eight
weeks of sleepless nights devoted to thought, the
Whineys finally decided to have the christening pub
lcly In church instead of privately at home, and
everybody remembers the throb oil pride and approval
with which he recognized the considerate patriotism
of this decision Everybody has read how the tickets
we're Issued, the policemen stationed at the door to
move on the unasked rabDe and how the favored few
| throngod In. Every seat was filled, IRON the pro-
scenum boxes to the peanut gallery. Navy ofhcer,
the son OF n Cabinet dignitary and member OF the
| Diplomatic Corps-they came dear bnt they had to
| have thcm-acted as ushcrs They we're in beautiful
livery and had them elves eoststcaly described In the
society sush OF the local papers Long professions OF
surpced BOYS andered about the aises chanting and
| radiating incense The mise-en-sctne was perfect
When The Baby borne in, a struggling. vociierous
and auent little atom, hundreds OF lorsnetes were
leyeled at 1t IRON the dress circle and mnrmurs OF
| holy rapture weled upward iron 81 eusand
throsts When tho reverent parson touched it- bald
and blu-hing head with waier 1t fired OF a screen
that brought the ont on every woodshed roof
within three blocks. and the whole audience sighed
- How sweet" How natural"
| Every Iody has heard all this, told in hundred
different strains OF eryor and couched in INFINITE forms
OF aduatiou; for The Whitney Baby has lnnunerabie
eager aureatcs and its christening was the apotheoss
OF advertisement
One is bound to say u word in passing OF the mean
anc sptetu and envous things that are being circu-
| lated b, some wno iailed TO receive one OF thos,
| baby pink admission cards. Such nasty detracton
.ccstv career OF the Whtnoys he, in Washington aud
endeavoring to make IL appear that their hospiable
profuson Is mere val gar display that the mo intans
a. terrnpD and the rivers o Fhsmnagne were inspired
by love OF osteDtaon that all the p1fhng and news
| paper parade was procured and In one way or an
Other paid Tor, and that the se surrounding them aud
! chanting their pr iises simply many mercenary
hangcfs.on moved by a recollection OF iayors III the
past and animated by tho hope OF fayors yet to come
| In short these enyous and malignant peI sous would
have il appear that the Whitnoys have be- ONE Dizzy
by reason OF their elevation and that Thea followers
and hatterers greedy sycophans VINO would proht
by their bounty All sorts OF s. res current. from
| the account of the thanksgiving Day turkeys PIE
seniod Navy Department employees. to that OF the
colored committee who obtained tree use OF Govern
ment boat and $50 subscription frou the Secretary
because they were shrewd enough To ask permission
| 20 name the boat William c. Whitney, aud to give 1t
| great prominence the forthcoming Emancipation
! parade.
All these ill-natured scandals, however, are un
worthy oil notice and must give lan To every honest
| heart Perhaps that The BABY has been with
drawn from aton il wcre the eossips Will let
the Wh,tueys alone, though fear nothing viii ever
moderate tho raptures OF tho Government organ hero
or prevent the gifted stan watching at its cradle
side to weep over ITS most secret pang and get u
beat !" on its first tooth
s croiary Fairchd is winning in quiet aad unos-
| tentatious way the good ill OF everybody brought
| into contact with him. lie may not be great hnan-
oier but ne good lawyer and mehodioal business
Unlike his predeces he Is easily accessible al
| round ne tho ciice to which he has been appointed
have not spoiled him. He is uniformly Kind and
courteous In his treatment OF visitors He never
bullie, nor fusters the bashiulwhich is more than
can be said OF many of his .ubordnates There Is
about him mir OF tranquil determination ana unag
gre,s,e seltassurance, the irieproachabe einDodi-
meat OF di Greet caution which inspires confidence.
when he talks he talks sensiby. and II there 10 any
thing worth hearing nc listens wei. At times ne can
successfully assume tho appearance OF doctor who
seems be probing tho secrst hearts OF his patients TO
their lowest depths by searchng gances and Dy Greg
nant and pity pieces OF professional sent ntiousness
enuDcated IN a meodramatic undertone IL is on such
occasions that importer or claimant or an oibce-
seeker leaves the Secretarys presence with the live
lest satisfaction at having swallowed the medicine
never giving a moments thought to the ultimate OUT
come o. his etitun and conscious only OF the dstin
guished considt ration paid to him by the courteous
Secretary In outward manner cam and collected
phlecmatc almost. Mr. Fairchild Is yet an animated
axer when in the company OF friends Though his CON
yersition bears the characteristic oarmarks OF the
prunes and prisms school aud is not unire nently
charged il is said. with anecdotes whoh bear too close
resemblance to stories ,ong since become cass zeal
Mr. Fairchld Ia "A reader and student rather than u
| politician, and has been very popular among
tue "boysD But this is tv his credit and IN nowise
derncts from his merits the head OF great depart
mrnt To official society Mr.. and Mrs. Fairchd are
valuable addition. She is, l believe, daughter Of
| Horato Seymour
| Chief Fnriueer Melville of Arctic fame, has had u
claim lending before the Treasury Department Tor u
| long time which was decided against HIM only few
| DAYS ago When Melville went on his famous cruise